A senior politician is reportedly nursing political wounds after an attempt to move Sh1.2 billion from offshore accounts into the country ran into roadblocks. The politician is said to have faced questions from authorities, turning what appeared to be a routine transfer into a game of chess. Those close to him claim he has since resorted to emissaries, quietly seeking help from the powers-that-be. His message, according to aides, is conciliatory: let the money through and he will shelve his political adventures, focus on business and keep out of trouble.
Committee removal threat humbles MP
A Nyanza legislator was recently forced to beg for forgiveness after a powerful individual threatened to remove him from a parliamentary committee. The lawmaker is reported to have backed a perceived rebel’s bid for governor, much to the displeasure of political party bosses, who accused him of rocking the broad-based government’s zoning plan. He was summoned and informed of the decision to remove him, prompting him to apologise and promise to toe the party line. True to his word, he behaved himself during President William Ruto’s tour of the region.
Sibling fights sibling in political war
There is tension in a political family after a well-known member was accused of being opposed to the ambitions of a sibling who has declared he wants to be MP. So bad is the situation that the aggrieved family member, who had also previously voiced the intention to run for office, is suspected to have planned to send goons to disrupt the sibling’s recent meeting. Those in the know say the cause of the disagreement is the battle to be recognised as the family’s undisputed political head, a mantle each of them is keen to hold ahead of the 2027 election.
MP squares off with senior official
An MP from Western Kenya is reportedly under pressure after confronting a senior agovernment official, a former politician, over alleged interference in local politics. The legislator is said to have urged the official to focus on his national ambitions and leave local political affairs to elected leaders. According to the MP’s close aides, the confrontation has since triggered threats, with the senior official vowing to sponsor a rival against the legislator in 2027. The official is also facing resistance from a governor in the region, who accuses him of meddling and backing a political rival.
No end to squabbles in fledgling outfit
Tensions are flaring within one of the country’s nascent political outfits as the General Election draws closer. Behind the scenes, rival factions are trading accusations over the influence of what some members dismiss as political weaklings and their associates, with each camp seeking to secure its space ahead of the polls. Insiders say the friction is also fuelled by claims that one faction is quietly advancing regional interests at the expense of the outfit’s broader national agenda. The disagreements are testing relationships among senior officials and raising questions about the outfit’s ability to maintain unity.
Phone call halts governor’s party switch
A county chief has found himself in a political Catch-22 after a phone call from a powerful government official reportedly scuppered his long-awaited move to a new political outfit. According to a close aide, preparations for the switch were already advanced when the call abruptly changed the script, leaving the governor’s political plans hanging in the balance. But that is not his only headache. Insiders in the outfit he was eyeing have raised concerns that he could become a liability. Some party bigwigs are now considering fielding their own candidate.
